Typically, air conditioning service ports have a cap to prevent the loss of refrigerant from the air conditioning system. The service port of the air conditioning system typically includes a tube that is threaded on an interior surface of the tube. Conventionally, the cap has an inner body that is received around the periphery of the service port, and a threaded retaining body that is received on the interior surface of the service port. An upper sealing surface spans across the retaining body and the inner body of the cap.
When the cap is engaged on the service port, the tube of the service port is received between the retaining body and the inner body of the cap. The engagement of the threaded interior surface of the service port and the threaded retaining body, in combination with the engagement of the upper sealing surface and/or the inner body with the exterior surfaces of the service port, form a seal to prevent the loss of refrigerant.
However, when the cap is installed on the service port, it is typically installed by hand. Since there is no mechanism for the technician to provide consistent torque to each cap installed, the caps may not be properly installed on a consistent basis. Improperly tightened air conditioning caps onto service ports can result in a loss of refrigerant from the air conditioning system. This leaking of refrigerant can have a negative impact on the environment and can reduce the performance of the air conditioning system.